Tamil Nadu: Kancheepuram tops all districts in exports in first quarter

Kancheepuram tops all other districts of Tamil Nadu in exporting merchandise in the first quarter of this financial year. The district exported goods worth Rs 32,263.28 crore in the first quarter. Chennai district followed Kancheepuram with exports worth Rs 17,763.80 crore.

Tirupur has come third with Rs 14,129 crore worth merchandise exports. After two years, many companies across the state functioned at 50 or 100% capacity in the first quarter. The total merchandise exports from the state are worth Rs1.07 lakh crore.

“Since January this year, manufacturing as well as service companies have been working at more or less full capacity. Though in January there was worry that Covid/Omicron would spread fast, but there was no lockdown and all companies and other establishments were working,” said an additional chief secretary.

The automobile boom

Kancheepuram district has the maximum number of auto companies and many famous cars and two-wheelers are being manufactured close to Chennai. Since the start of this year, Chennai port has seen the export of cars manufactured by various companies in and around the city. “Followed by cars are coaches manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), as well as food items. Similarly, the Ennore Port also has seen a 51% growth in handling exports this year, said Chennai Port Chairman Sunil Paliwal.

The Chennai Port, one of the biggest in the country, is hoping to cross 4.8 million tonnes of exports of various items to countries in Asia, Australia, Europe, North and South America as well as Africa.

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“After nearly two years, this financial year, we are hoping to cross 4.8 million tonnes as many car manufacturers as well as other businesses have resumed operations after the Covid lockdown. Many car manufacturers are exporting various types of cars across the world from the Chennai Port,” said Paliwal.

Hyundai, Kia top exporters

Among the car manufacturers, Hyundai and Kia export more cars. “These two companies alone send 1.7 lakh cars annually from the Chennai Port Trust to Africa, Gulf Countries, Mexico, Peru, Panama and South Africa.

Chennai Port also handles imports like steel coil, maize, pulses, gypsum and large amounts of cooking oil. “This year, we have exported coaches manufactured by the ICF to Sri Lanka. The coaches are electro-diesel multiple units.

Recently, the ICF had bagged an order for export of six rakes of DEMU consisting of 78 coaches in five variants. DEMUs are used for short- and medium-distance train travels in non-electrified sections. This export order is being executed under an India-Sri Lanka economic cooperation agreement,” he said.

Tirupur: The hub of hosiery

Tirupur contributes hosiery garments as well as world-class apparels. Many world-known brands’ apparels are manufactured in Tirupur. Similarly, Coimbatore exports engineering products such as foundry, motors and pumps, automobile engineering components, iron castings, aluminium castings, wet grinders and home appliances, textiles such as yarn and fabrics, poultry products, vegetables, coconut and coir products, and Kovai Kora cotton sarees.

Cauvery delta districts have the lowest amount of exports in the state. The districts have exported products worth Rs 72.18 crore. Niligirs exported tea and other products worth Rs 124.22 crore in the first quarter of this financial year.